Ballmer called to resigned

Now we know why Microsoft screams ‘new growth market’ in its press releases all the time. In this story from Reuters, Ballmer is called to resign.

Anyone who has followed Microsoft or the computer revolution in general will find the following quotes to be very… substantial. After every one, I screamed “Ouch! That has gotta hurt!”

Microsoft, which was the largest U.S. company by market value in the late 1990s, has seen its stock stand still for the past 10 years as it failed to attack new Internet and mobile computing markets, surrendering leadership of the tech sector to Apple Inc.

Ouch! You know that has to hurt! Surrendering leadership to Apple? Ouch!

Many have been privately critical of Ballmer, but Einhorn’s remarks are the most pointed yet from a high-profile investor.

Ooohhh….. Privately critical? I bet the reader didn’t know that. But now, when a high-profile investor speaks out, the dam is breaking.

On Tuesday, Microsoft was overtaken by IBM in market value for the first time in 15 years, chiefly because of its static shares. Apple roared past it last year to become the world’s most valuable tech company.

That has to be the most painful of all quotes. Microsoft hated IBM. In fact, Apple and Microsoft are allies in the fact that they both wage war against IBM. But now, IBM’s value is higher than Microsoft’s. Ouch.

An investor who put $100,000 into Microsoft stock 10 years ago would now have about $69,000 worth.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

If Xbox Franchise is as successful as the viral marketers keep pumping forums and comment sections as it is, then why the criticism? It is because the reality is that the Xbox Franchise has not been successful in terms of Microsoft growing new markets. Now, can video game business websites stop declaring the Xbox Franchise as ‘successful’ when it clearly isn’t?